UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – May 24, 2010 – Last night, the season finale of “The Celebrity Apprentice” scored the highest adult 18-49 rating for any “Apprentice” telecast since March 2009 and attracted the biggest overall viewership for any “Apprentice” since March 2008, despite competition from the series finale of “Lost,” according to “fast affiliate-based” “live plus same day” viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Last night from 9-11 p.m. ET, the two-hour finale of “The Celebrity Apprentice” (3.4 rating, 9 share in adults 18-49, 9.3 million viewers overall) delivered the highest 18-49 rating for any telecast of “The Apprentice” since Sunday, March 1, 2009 (the premiere of last year’s cycle of “Celebrity Apprentice”) and the biggest overall viewership for any “Apprentice” since Thursday, March 27, 2008 (the finale of that cycle of “Celebrity Apprentice”).

Despite competition from the series finale of ABC’s “Lost,” last night’s “Celebrity Apprentice,” in which Donald Trump named Bret Michaels this year’s Celebrity Apprentice, was the top-scoring finale in both adults 18-49 and total viewers among the three “Apprentice” cycles to run on Sunday night. Last night’s “Celebrity Apprentice” finale was up 10 percent in adults 18-49 and 6 percent in total viewers versus last year’s finale (a 3.1/9 in 18-49 and 8.8 million viewers overall from 8-11 p.m. on Sunday, May 10, 2009).

Versus last week’s “Celebrity Apprentice,” last night’s finale jumped 48 percent in 18-49 rating (3.4 vs. 2.3) and 50 percent or 3.1 million persons in total viewers (9.3 million vs. 6.2 million). From its first half-hour to its fourth, “Celebrity Apprentice” increased by 23 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 3.7 from a 3.0) and by 23 percent or nearly 1.9 million persons in total viewers (10.3 million vs. 8.4 million), despite competition from the “Lost” finale. In its time period, “The Celebrity Apprentice” ranked #2 among the major networks in adults 18-49 (tie), adults 25-54, total viewers and other key demos.

Last night from 7-8 p.m. ET, “Dateline NBC” (1.1/4 in 18-49, 5.2 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in adults 18-49 among the major networks in the time period (pending updates) ahead of CBS’s “60 Minutes” and Fox’s comedies. In total viewers, this was the top Sunday “Dateline” since April 18.

Sunday from 8-9 p.m. ET, “Minute To Win It” (1.7/5 in 18-49, 5.6 million viewers overall) built on its lead-in by 55 percent in adults 18-49. “Minute” grew from half-hour to half-hour by 27 percent in adults 18-49 (to a 1.9 from a 1.5) and by 25 percent in total viewers (to 6.3 million from 5.0 million). The 10 regular-slot telecasts of “Minute To Win It” have all grown substantially from half-hour to half-hour, increasing an average 25 percent in adults 18-49 and 22 percent in total viewers.